Belgian cycling star Wout van Aert hits the cobblestones for Paris–Roubaix preparations after TV appearance, showing once again why he remains one of the most dedicated classics riders in the world. After being eliminated from the popular Belgian quiz show De Slimste Mens, Wout van Aert wasted no time shifting focus back to cycling.
Just a day after the TV appearance, Wout van Aert joined his Visma | Lease a Bike teammates in northern France to continue intense Paris–Roubaix preparations. The team carried out their traditional November testing session on the unforgiving cobbles of Carrefour de l’Arbre, an iconic and notoriously brutal sector of the Paris–Roubaix route.
Despite the freezing conditions, Wout van Aert looked sharp as he rattled over the stones alongside trusted teammate Christophe Laporte and new signings Timo Kielich and Aldo Taillieu. Kielich, who has trained with Van Aert in recent weeks, is expected to become a key support rider for the upcoming classics season.
A major focus of the Paris–Roubaix preparations was equipment testing, particularly Visma’s innovative GRAVAA tyre-pressure system. The team used this technology with great success last season, contributing to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s first Monument victory. Wout van Aert continues to fine-tune the system to gain every possible advantage ahead of 2026.
Earlier in the week, before his TV appearance, Van Aert completed a 144-kilometre training loop north of Antwerp, humorously titled “higher mathematics” on Strava — a nod to the quiz show challenge he would soon face.
Now, as winter approaches and anticipation builds for the new classics season, Wout van Aert hits the cobblestones for Paris–Roubaix preparations after TV appearance, signaling strong ambition and readiness for another demanding year of racing.
